By Clyde Noel

Casto Roofing of Mountain View celebrated its 30th year in business last year, long enough to have covered over old roofs their crews first installed 25 or more years ago - the average life of a shake roof.

“Often homeowners wait until the rains begin and the roof starts to leak. Then they want a roofer to come out right away and put on a new roof,” said Kris Casto, co-owner with her husband Harold. “It’s too dangerous to go on the roof when it’s wet so we recommend early spring as the best time to do a roof. Think about replacing your roof on Groundhog Day.”

Casto, a Los Altos resident and city council member, said her business is swamped with requests in the summer and fall.

Casto Roofing business is split 50/50 with residential and commercial work. Most commercial business in Mountain View and Los Altos consists of tar and gravel roofing. The conventional built-up roof system commonly known as the tar and gravel is one of the least expensive roofing applications on the market and has a lifetime between 16 to 20 years.

The company has a proven track record for design, installation and maintenance of flat and low-sloped roofs. Their projects range in size from small commercial structures to large industrial buildings.

Thomas Souza, residential supervisor with Casto, said the only shake roofs allowed in California are those with fire-treated shakes.

“There are three types of cedar shakes: medium which is 1/2 inch thick, heavy, 3/4 inch thick and jumbo at 1/1/4 inch thick.” Souza said. “In our area we install 80 percent heavy shakes and 20 percent jumbo.”

While no two roofing jobs are exactly alike, all share one basic premise: when completed, the roof must not leak.

“For beauty, long-term waterproofing and economy, a good quality cedar shake roof is hard to beat,” said Souza. “Shakes have been around for a 100 years and a heavy shake roof will last 25 to 30 years.”

Proper maintenance is the key to any roof. A roof under a shaded tree with no sunlight is bad.

“Leaves are the biggest disadvantage to a roof,” Souza said. “They encourage moss to grow and produce dry rot.”

Casto Roofing also supplies composition roofing made from fiberglass and asphalt. It is light in weight when used, but can weigh more than a wood shake roof.

“Composition shingles are less expensive but don’t look as good and don’t last as long,” said Lindsey Casto, vice president. “Economically, it is not a lasting roof,” he said, lasting sometimes as little as 10 years.

Souza said there are many other roofing products coming on the market and the company tests each one before using them.

Casto Roofing started 30 years ago when Kris and Harold decided to go into business working out of their California Street apartment. In 1974, they bought a house in Los Altos and moved the office there.

In February 1987, they purchased a lot on Old Middlefield Road and have been located there the last 16 years.

“Word of mouth is the best business,” said Kris. “We have 22 employees and more than 75 percent have been with the firm more than 10 years.”

Employees are proud of their workmanship. Workers never leave an open roof and keep properties clean during projects.

For more information, call Casto Roofing at 961-8922.